STOCKTON - Pacific men's basketball coach Ron Verlin now has dates to go with the big opponents that await his program in the West Coast Conference.

The Tigers' new head coach will lead Pacific back into the WCC for the first time since 1971 with two games apiece against national powerhouse Gonzaga (away Jan. 4, home Feb. 27), postseason regulars BYU (away Jan. 30, home Feb. 13) and Saint Mary's (home Dec. 30, away Jan. 18), and old rival Santa Clara (home Jan. 11, away Feb. 20). All four of those teams won at least 24 games last season with the Bulldogs and Gaels making the NCAA Tournament, the Cougars reaching the NIT semifinals, and the Broncos winning the CBI postseason tournament.

"The WCC schedule falls in line with our tough nonconference schedule," Verlin said. "It's going to be tough and competitive every night."

After two home exhibition games against Cal State Stanislaus (Oct. 30) and Montana Tech (Nov. 3), the Tigers open the regular season against Nevada on Nov. 8 in Reno. Pacific will host former Big West Conference rival UC Irvine on Nov. 12 in its home opener.

Pacific will continue its decades long rivalry with Fresno State on Nov. 23 at Spanos Center and face former Big West foe Utah State for the first time since 2005 on Dec. 7 in Logan, Utah.

The rest of the nonconference schedule will be played at two tournaments - the Global Sports Hardwood Classic on Nov. 29-Dec. 1 in Eugene, Ore., and the South Point Holiday Classic on Dec. 20-21 in Las Vegas - that will feature games against Oregon, Cal Poly, North Dakota, Princeton and Bradley.

Pacific athletic director Ted Leland said the WCC wants its members to face tough nonconference schedules and even provides financial incentives to programs that play high-ranked opponents at home and at neutral sites.

"It's an across-the-board effort by the WCC to make sure our basketball is played at the highest level possible," Leland said. "This is a different level for us."

Verlin said WCC membership didn't affect nonconference scheduling much this season, as most of the contracts with opponents are signed years in advance, but it did help the Tigers land a spot in the South Point tournament.

"I wanted to go to Vegas in the preseason since we're going back down there (for the WCC Tournament) with a chance to get back to the NCAA Tournament," Verlin said.

Pacific won the 2012-13 Big West Conference Tournament in March to earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament in coach Bob Thomason's 25th and final season at his alma mater. Making the NCAA Tournament is a regular occurrence for the WCC's top programs, and that's the level Verlin wants to reach. The Tigers went 2-3 against WCC opponents last season, defeating Saint Mary's and USF, and losing at Gonzaga, at Saint Mary's and to Santa Clara.

Verlin said his staff is working to secure two more nonconference home games, likely to be played on Nov. 17 and Dec. 14.